Norway Maple--Pond Cultivar

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Norway Maple, botanically known as Acer platanoides is provided. The new variety is distinguished from the regular Norway Maple by a marked tendency to branch at an early stage of development and a more vigorous growth habit. Also, the leaves of the new variety are darker green in color, and less pronounced lenticels are exhibited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new and distinct variety of Norway Maple was discovered by me during1974 while growing in a large cultivated block of several thousandregular Norway Maple tree seedlings (non-patented) growing at theHageman farm of Bailey Nurseries, Inc. in the south half of the SE 1/4of Section 13, Township 27, Range 21 at Cottage Grove, Minn. Immediatelyprior to this discovery the trees of the block had been transplantedfrom a similar block which was begun by the planting of regular NorwayMaple seed during 1972 at property of the Bailey Nurseries, Inc. locatedat Hastings, Minn.

At the time of my discovery my attention was attracted to a single plantin the seedling block which was significantly different in appearancefrom all other plants in the block primarily because of its branchinggrowth characteristic, greater height, and greater trunk diameter. Stepswere taken to continue to observe this unusual seedling. The plant wasfirst asexually reproduced at my direction during 1977 when budwood wastaken which was shipped to the Yamhill, Oreg. property of BaileyNurseries, Inc. where it was budded onto regular Norway Mapleunderstock. The original tree of the new variety was destroyed during1977 following the removal of a large quantity of budwood, andaccordingly is not presently available. This and subsequent asexualreproduction by budding has confirmed that the distinctivecharacteristics of the new variety come true to form and are establishedand transmitted through succeeding propagations.

This new variety of Norway Maple has been named the Pond Cultivar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The trees illustrated are whips which in FIGS. 1 and 2 were propagatedby budding at Yamhill, Oreg. during August, 1978 and shipped to CottageGrove, Minn. following one year's growth where they were photographedwhile in a dormant stage of development during January, 1980. The coloris depicted as nearly true as possible to make the same in a colorillustration of this character.

FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a whip of the Pond Cultivar on the rightand a portion of a whip of a regular Norway Maple (non-patented) on theleft for comparative purposes. The branching characteristic and thelarger trunk diameter of the new variety is apparent.

FIG. 2 illustrates in an enlarged manner a portion of a whip of the PondCultivar on the right and a portion of a whip of the regular NorwayMaple (non-patented) on the left for comparative purposes. In additionto the branching and larger trunk diameter propensity the new varietyexhibits a lighter overall bark appearance with more pronounced lighterbark striations on the older wood, as well as less pronounced lenticels.

FIG. 3 illustrates a two year old tree of the Pond Cultivar growing atYamhill, Oreg. during September, 1980. This photograph illustrates thehighly branched growth habit of the tree which is approximately fourteenfeet in height and 11/4 inches in trunk diameter. The lower branches ofthe tree illustrated have been removed.

FIG. 4 illustrates both surfaces of typical newly formed leaves of thePond Cultivar. The leaves were photographed on May 27, 1981 and wereobtained from a two year old tree growing at Yamhill, Oreg.

FIG. 5 illustrates the typical appearance of newly formed branches ortwigs of the Pond Cultivar, the regular Norway Maple, the SuperformMaple, and the Emerald Queen Maple. The photograph was taken on May 27,1981 with the branches or twigs having been obtained from trees growingat Yamhill, Oreg. The lenticels of the new variety are considerablydarker in coloration on such newly formed growth.

FIG. 6 illustrates for comparative purposes newly formed leaves of thePond Cultivar and of the regular Norway Maple. The photograph was takenon May 27, 1981 with the leaves having been obtained from trees growingat Yamhill, Oreg. Later in the growing season as the leaves of the PondCultivar mature they will assume a darker green appearance than those ofthe regular Norway Maple.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

Unless otherwise stated the new variety has characteristicssubstantially identical to those of the regular Norway Maple(non-patented). Color terminology used herein is to be accorded itsusual dictionary significance.

The branching propensity of the new variety is particularly evident atan early age. One year old whips of the new variety exhibit substantialbranching as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. On the contrary one year oldwhips of the regular Norway Maple, as well as of other varieties of Acerplatanoides, such as Royal Red, Emerald Queen, etc., commonly exhibit noor at most very infrequent branching. See, for instance, the branchlessregular Norway Maple whips shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The new variety also exhibits an increased vigor at an early age whichis manifest by an increased height and trunk diameter when compared toother varieties of Acer platanoides. Average heights of one year oldwhips of representative varieties of Acer platanoides grown at Yamhill,Oreg. are set forth below:

    ______________________________________                                                            Average                                                   Variety             Height in Feet                                            ______________________________________                                        Pond Cultivar       8.2                                                       Emerald Queen       7.6                                                       Schwedler           7.0                                                       Superform           6.9                                                       Royal Red           6.3                                                       Crimson King        5.6                                                       Regular Norway      5.3                                                       ______________________________________                                    

Accordingly, the new variety following one year's growth will average asubstantially larger grade size than the regular Norway Maple. Suchlarger grade size continues to be observed during subsequent years(e.g., for two year old trees). Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2,one year old whips of the new variety will exhibit an increased trunkdiameter when compared to that of the regular Norway Maple atapproximately the same distance above ground level. See the two year oldtree of FIG. 3 which is approximately fourteen feet in height and has atrunk diameter of approximately 11/4 inches.

The leaves of the new variety are of a darker green coloration thanthose of the regular Norway Maple and additionally commonly exhibit atinge of redness. Such darker coloration is particularly observable whenthe leaves are fully mature during the latter part of the growingseason. The coloration of leaves present on two year old trees of thenew variety growing at Yamhill, Oreg. on May 27, 1981 in accordance withthe R.H.S. Colour Chart of the Royal Horticultural Society (London) wasYellow-Green Group 147A on the upper surface and Yellow-Green Group 147Bon the under surface. See the leaves of FIGS. 4 and 6. Additionally, theleaves of the new variety commonly are cupped slightly forward whenviewed from the obverse side particularly during the early part of thegrowing season. This can be contrasted to the relatively flat leaves ofthe regular Norway Maple. The coloration of leaf petioles of two yearold trees of the new variety growing at Yamhill, Oreg. on May 27, 1981in accordance with the R.H.S. Colour Chart was Red-Purple Group 184B.

The newly formed branches or twigs of the present variety possess darklenticels. The coloration of such lenticels present on two year oldtrees of the new variety growing at Yamhill, Oreg. on May 27, 1981 inaccordance with the R.H.S. Colour Chart is Greyed-Purple Group 184A. Asseen in FIG. 5 such lenticels are considerably darker than those of theregular Norway Maple, the Superform Maple and the Emerald Queen Mapleunder the same growing conditions. However, as the branches or twigsmature the lenticels becomes light in color and are less pronounced.

The trunks of one year old whips of the new variety bear less pronouncedlenticels when compared to the regular Norway Maple as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2.

The newly formed trunk of the new variety commonly is darker inappearance than that of the regular Norway Maple, but upon maturation asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 commonly is lighter in coloration. Also,upon maturation lighter and more pronounced bark striations commonly arevisible upon the trunk of the new variety as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2. The general coloration of the trunk bark of two year old trees of thenew variety growing at Yamhill, Oreg. on May 27, 1981 in accordance withthe R.H.S. Colour Chart was Greyed-Green Group 197B, and the colorationof the lighter bark striations was Greyed-Yellow Group 161C.

The dormant buds of the new variety tend to be darker in coloration andslightly smaller than those of the regular Norway Maple. Also, thedormant buds present on one year old whips of the new variety tend to bedisposed at an angle so that the distal ends thereof are substantiallymore removed from the trunk when compared to the bud angle of theregular Norway Maple. Axillary buds commonly are present on one year oldwhips of the new variety. To date no seed has been observed on the treesof the present variety; however, it is assumed that seed will form uponmature trees of the present variety.

Since fully mature trees of the new variety are not yet available acomparison of mature trees has not been possible. However, the foregoingdescription will enable one skilled in the identification of the variousvarieties of Acer platanoides readily to distinguish the new variety onthe basis of its distinctive characteristics which are apparent at anearly age.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Acer platanoides,substantially as illustrated and described, characterized by its generalsimilarity to the common Acer platanoides, but being distinct therefromby (1) a marked propensity to branch at an early age, (2) an increasedvigor which is manifest by an increased height and trunk diameter duringthe first year following budding, (3) the formation of darker greenleaves having a tinge of redness which commonly are slightly cupped inconfiguration, and (4) the exhibition of less pronounced lenticels.